


Baby, It's Cold Outside

by Apharine



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Anime), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, Established Relationship, F/M, Kissing, OC X CANON, Skiing, Sledding, Winter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-23
Updated: 2020-12-22
Packaged: 2021-03-10 19:48:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,739
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28252674
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Apharine/pseuds/Apharine
Summary: Juliet has been looking forward to travelling to Sinnoh with her partner, Leon, for some winter vacation fun.  There's only one problem: Juliet is from Hoenn, and even after living in Galar, she's used to heat, and doesn't do well in the cold.Fortunately, Juliet's about to learn that even in the coldest of weather, having the right person by your side can bring warmth and joy in a different way.
Relationships: Dande | Leon/Original Character(s), Dande | Leon/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 11





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Who's excited for a little TrueSmileShipping winter and holiday fun? :D If you're not already familiar with Juliet, she belongs to my friend Jules, who is also the creator of the extremely beautiful cover art for this fic!! You can find Jules on Twitter at pigeonsenpai, or on Instagram at carefreepudding. Her art, as you can see, is beautiful and Juliet is a wonderful character, so please, if you're not already familiar with her work, check out her art!
> 
> Lastly, Juliet is used here with permission! Otherwise, let's let the story begin..<3

“I think I liked the plane ride over more,” Juliet whimpers, her hands holding tightly to the railing of the S. S. Sinnoh. Even through her thick, knitted mittens, the metal quickly chills her skin, though she feels that if she were to let go, she might keel over. 

“No luck getting your sea legs yet?” Leon asks, coming up behind her and wrapping his strong arms around her waist. Juliet leans back against him slightly, the firmness of his chest reassuring even through their sweaters and coats.

“None,” Juliet grimaces. “I’m not sure if I _had_ sea legs, to start with.”

Behind her, Leon’s chest rumbles with laughter.

“You’re from Hoenn. From what I’ve heard, there’s a lot of water there, isn’t there? I’m sure you’ve got sea legs somewhere deep down,” He chuckles, squeezing her extra tightly to his body. As the pressure of his arms releases, Juliet laughs and turns in his arms, eager to face him - then grabs onto his shoulders as the S. S. Sinnoh hits a particularly large wave and lurches. Her head reels with dizziness for a moment, but Leon is firm as always, holding her, supporting her.

She smiles sheepishly up at Leon - her rock now, as in many times past - and shakes her head.

“Just because I’m from Hoenn, it doesn’t mean that I’m naturally some sort of sea-faring extraordinarie,” Juliet laughs, cupping each of Leon’s cheeks in her mittened hands.

“No?” Leon asks, one of his big hands coming up to thread into her soft hair. “What does it mean, then?”

For a moment, Juliet’s nearly speechless. The brilliance of the sun, reflected on the water, illuminates Leon’s golden eyes, making them shimmer with radiance. He’s so beautiful, Juliet thinks. And somehow, he’s entirely _hers_.

“It - it means,” she starts, surprised to hear herself stammering a little. How could it be that her partner - who, she reminds herself, she’s been with for quite a while at this point - could so easily make her heart skip a beat?

Before she can finish her sentence, though, the S. S. Sinnoh hits another wave - this one larger than the last. Some of the spray comes over the deck, showering Juliet and Leon alike in a fine mist of water so cold, it takes her breath away, stinging as it hits her cheeks.

A cry of shock squeaks out of Juliet; a moment later, she grabs Leon by the shoulders, pulling him close enough to allow herself to bury her face in his chest. At the same time, she finishes her sentence - though, now muffled by Leon’s coat, it comes out as unintelligible.

“What was that?” Leon chuckles, smoothing down her slightly-damp hair and holding her protectively in return.

“I said,” Juliet repeats herself, pulling away from her partner’s broad chest. “Being from Hoenn means that I hate the cold! That was awful!”

“It _was_ pretty bad, and I say that as a Galarian,” Leon laughs. “Let’s get you below deck again, okay? I’m sure I can help warm you up again,” he adds, pulling her in for a quick forehead kiss.

“That sounds good,” Juliet says, aware that her teeth are nearly chattering from how chilled she’s suddenly become.

Nonetheless, as Leon takes her mittened hand and begins to lead her back below deck, she can’t help but feel a slight pang of sorrow as she casts one last wistful eye back towards the sea. They’ll be in Snowpoint City soon, she knows, and as brutally cold as the ocean is, it’s also gorgeous, with the water glittering fiercely under the bright blue sky. In a sense, she’s really rather sorry she won’t be able to see more of it.

But then the boat hits another enormous wave, sending up a spray, and Juliet squeals again, hurrying along after Leon and away from the icy droplets cascading over the deck.

Getting warm with the most handsome man she’s ever met sounds much better than staying up here, all of a sudden.

* * *

Juliet holds to Leon as she walks off the S. S. Sinnoh onto the pier it’s docked on. For a moment, she almost expects the wooden planks beneath her to rock and sway - but no, she realizes, there’s solid cement pillars going into the ocean, all the way into the ground beneath the water. The pier is solid and stable.

“Thank you again,” Leon is saying, waving farewell to their captain. Around them, a multitude of other passengers are all disembarking, saying their thanks and waving goodbye as well. Juliet turns and waves, not wanting to seem rude - and is hit by a surge of relief as she realizes that turning around doesn’t make her feel woozy, the way that it did when the boat had been bouncing over the waves.

“It’s lovely here,” Juliet murmurs, turning once more to allow herself to take in Snowpoint City. Fine flakes of snow drift down from the sky, which is now partially clouded over; nonetheless, enough sun breaks through to positively light up the snowdrifts on the ground. Even the quaint wooden chalets and bushy evergreen trees are covered in shimmering snow.

“It is,” Leon says; Juliet can hear the smile in his voice. “We’ve just got to head over to the Pokemon Center, which, from what I read on the email, should be…that way,” he says, pointing to his left. Juliet frowns and squints in that direction; she’s not entirely certain why, exactly, they need to stop in at a Pokemon Center. To her knowledge, they’d booked a stay at a resort not far from the banks of the Acuity Lakefront, and it certainly wasn’t as if any of their team needed healing. Nevertheless, she checks where Leon is pointing - then goes to look in the exact opposite direction.

If there’s one thing she knows, it’s that her partner is pants with directions, as Leon’s little brother would say. If Leon thinks he’s supposed to turn one way, it never hurts to check the opposite direction.

In fact, there, peeking through the boughs of the evergreens very much away from where Leon is pointing, she can make out a building with a distinctive red roof.

“Love,” she says gently, nudging his outstretched finger over in the correct direction. Leon smiles sheepishly, then drops his arm entirely, taking her hand in his once again.

“Shall we?” He asks. Juliet laughs, closing her mittened fingers around his thick palm.

“Let’s,” she agrees.

As Juliet walks alongside Leon, she becomes increasingly grateful for her decision to wear her tall snowboots. Although the snow is packed down on the pier and on the road into Snowpoint City, it’s still slushy in places, and she’s sure her feet would get chilly - or wet - with any other pair of her shoes.

Nevertheless, the closer they get to the city, the more the roads improve. The houses begin to cluster together more frequently; they’re clearly in the residential area of the city, Juliet realizes, catching sight of some taller buildings in the distance. Beyond even the commercial zone, though, she can catch sight of an enormous stone temple, overlooking the entire city from its mountainside perch. It looks ancient, especially when contrasted to the brown-and-white fairy-tale chalets she’s surrounded by.

“Leon, look - that must be Snowpoint Temple,” she says, pointing to the enormous shrine. Leon turns, catching sight of it, and makes a small noise of surprise and awe.

“It’s incredible, isn’t it?” He asks, squeezing Juliet’s hand. 

“Yeah. It looks…ancient. Magical,” she breathes. Leon chuckles quietly beside her, but nods.

“I know what you mean,” he agrees. “I’ve heard that there are a lot of places like that around here - not temples, I mean, just places that the locals consider to have some magical power. Even Lake Acuity - which we’ll be staying near - is considered to be magical.”

“That’s what I’d heard, too,” Juliet muses. “Looking at the temple now, it certainly does seem to have some sort of magic to it. A power. Even from far away, it’s incredible.” She’s silent for a long moment, and so is Leon beside her; the two simply take in the sight. Juliet has to admit, it’s amazing to see something that was built before written history, standing before her today. Just that alone is magical - and it’s all the more so, considering that she gets to see it with Leon. “I’m glad I get to see it with you by my side, you know,” she says honestly. Leon turns to her, unable to stop the dreamy smile that spreads across his face at her words.

“I’m glad, too. It makes the magic seem all the stronger to enjoy it with someone you love,” he chuckles, pulling her in and pressing a kiss to her lips. He pulls back quickly, though, stroking her cheekbone fondly. “In fact, that’s sort of my goal for this entire trip. I want everything to seem magical for you.”

Almost as if on cue, a fierce wind blows down the streets of Snowpoint, and Juliet shivers in her coat, shrugging her shoulders to try to hide as much of her neck and cheeks as possible in her scarf. 

As beautiful as everything is, she’s beginning to worry she’s going to have a hard time enjoying the magic in this cold weather. She wishes she could be tougher; she’s too used to hot weather, though, and the cold just cuts right through her.

“Well,” Juliet manages, summoning up her best smile for her partner. Even if she finds the cold air difficult to cope with, she knows he’s put a lot into making this trip as wonderful as possible. She’ll do her best to enjoy everything she can - and she’ll make sure Leon knows how grateful she is to have him in her life, too. “I can’t wait to enjoy our time together. I’m sure we’re going to make a lot of beautiful memories together.”

The way that Leon’s face absolutely beams with happiness at her words is well worth putting up with a little bit of chilly air.

“I’m sure we are, too,” Leon smiles. “Now - c’mon, let’s hurry over to that Pokemon Center. It’s important we get there soon.”

“It is?” Juliet asks, nevertheless falling in step beside Leon as he sets off down the street at a quick pace once more.

“Yes. We can’t be late - and you can’t get too chilly, either,” he adds with a wink.

So he had noticed. But then, Leon was always the sort to be looking out for others - it was part of the reason why Juliet had fallen in love with him in the first place.

But what did he mean by they can’t be late? Their reservation at the resort is in the complete opposite direction - and they had a few hours left to check in, easily.

By the time they do get to the Pokemon Center, she’s even more confused, because there, in front of the Pokemon Center, is a gorgeous red sleigh, with five strong Sawsbuck in their Winter form teamed in front of it.

Juliet gasps at the sight; the shiny sleigh with the curved runners is so quintessentially festive, it’s practically the picture of the winter holidays _._ Combined with the powerful, yet elegant, Pokemon, it’s enough to truly take her breath away. Everything about Snowpoint City, it seems, is truly like a fairy tale, and she feels a pang of jealousy for whoever the sleigh is waiting for.

“Wow, I didn’t know they have Sawsbuck here,” Juliet breathes. One of the Sawsbuck turns toward her, its intelligent eyes focusing on her; part of her wants to reach out to touch its nose, which looks so soft and velvet-y.

“They’re not native, I don’t think,” Leon replies. “They need special licenses to keep them as working Pokemon.”

“Champion Leon? And Juliet?” A man dressed in a thick winter coat with luscious fur trim waves to them from the front of the sleigh, while the Sawsbuck in the lead position paws the snow-covered ground. Juliet’s heart flutters, finally realizing -

The sleigh is for _them_.

“That’s us,” Leon laughs, waving in return. “Though just Leon would do fine. I’m not the Galarian Champion anymore, after all.”

“Duly noted,” the man nods, tipping his fur-trimmed hat to them and clambering out of the sleigh. He bows to the both of them, adding, “It’s a pleasure to meet the both of you. Now - here, Miss Juliet, ladies first. Please, come have a seat in the sleigh.”

Before Juliet can bow back, or say that just Juliet will do, he opens the back door of the sleigh, gesturing for Juliet to take a seat. She approaches the sleigh, extending one mittened hand and touching the veneered red wood. Inside, she can see four or five blankets, each of them lusciously thick, piled on the seat.

Juliet gasps again at the astoundingly cozy sight, turning back to Leon to see his reaction.

“I’ll just pop into the Pokemon Center for a moment,” Leon is saying, and Juliet catches him actually winking conspiratorially at their chauffeur. “I’ll be right back,” he adds to Juliet, his hand drifting to her waist and nudging her towards the sleigh gently.

Juliet needs no further encouragement, placing one foot up on the runner board and hoisting herself into the sleigh.

“Feel free to make yourself comfortable,” the sleigh driver smiles, closing the door for her. “Those blankets are all for the both of you.”

“Thank you,” Juliet says, sifting the blankets aside to make room for herself to sit down. The seat is chilly, and the blankets have a smattering of snow on them, but she pulls a couple of them over herself anyway, keeping the dry side towards her. 

Just as she’s finished arranging the blankets around herself, Leon emerges from the Pokemon Center, holding what looks very much like two cups of Tapu Cocoa, topped high with whipped cream.

“I trust you found what you were looking for?” The sleigh driver smiles, opening the door on Leon’s side of the carriage.

“I did,” Leon beams, then holds out one of the cups, standing on tippy-toe to be able to get it as close to Juliet as possible. “Juliet, my dear…this is for you.”

“Leon,” Juliet murmurs, taking the mug in her hands. Even through her mittens, it feels fantastically warm; the steam rising off of it is visible in the chilly air. “This looks amazing - and it’s just what I want right now. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. But really, you should be thanking our lovely chauffeur, here,” he smiles, using his free hand to help pull himself up into the sleigh. “He’s the one who told me over email that the Sinnoh region had recently upgraded their Pokemon Centers to include little cafes, like what we’ve got in Galar.”

“Well - in that case, thank you,” Juliet says, leaning forward to be able to make eye contact with their driver, who is busy closing Leon’s door.

“You’re quite welcome,” the chauffeur beams. “Knowing who the both of you are, I can assure you, it’s really my pleasure.”

Juliet feels her face heat up with slight embarrassment; even though she knows that she’s well known, actually being recognized for what she’d done for Galar - and the world, really - feels like a new experience every time it happens to her.

“Here,” Leon says, pulling her out of her thoughts. “Those blankets around your lap are nice, but this’ll feel much better.” With his free hand, he arranges a spare blanket around her shoulders, tucking it close to her scarf and wrapping it around as much of her torso as he can manage while still leaving her hands free to sip at her drink. Juliet snuggles into the plush material of the throw - then snuggles against Leon’s shoulder as he settles beside her, pulling the blankets she’s got on her lap over his as well.

“This is amazing,” she murmurs. Leon chuckles, his nose burying in her hair.

“I thought you might like this. Something about traveling by sleigh through the snow across the Sinnoh landscape seemed like it would be just right for the woman of my dreams to enjoy,” Leon murmurs in return, then straightens up, pulling the last blanket around his shoulders.

Juliet, for her part, is speechless for the moment, her heart fluttering.

He’d really said woman of his dreams, hadn’t he? And he’d put all this together for her…

Despite the chill to the air, Juliet feels a certain warmth blossom in her chest.

“Are you both ready?” The sleigh driver asks, turning around to face them from his seat ahead of them. Just beyond him, the Sawsbuck toss their horns, their breath turning to steam in the winter air.

“Ready,” Juliet and Leon say in tandem.

Then the sleigh driver gives a shake of his reins, and the Sawsbuck spring into action, sending them dashing across the snow.


	2. Chapter 2

Riding on a fast-moving sleigh makes you feel almost weightless, Juliet considers. Well - maybe not truly weightless, but the lack of friction as the runners speed over the snow is an incredible feeling, nonetheless. The Sawsbuck had carried them across the streets of Snowpoint City with ease; even the few miles’ trek to the Acuity Lakefront speeds by with the Pokemon teeming at the reins. Juliet sips at her hot chocolate, enjoying the alpine landscape; the sun is breaking out of its cloudy barrier more and more, and the snow glitters all the more brilliantly, contrasting with the deep green of the pine boughs surrounding them. Now and then, she catches sight of curious Pokemon, peeping their heads out from the forest. Everything from Snover to Teddiursa - and even Ursaring - make this area their home.

Before Juliet can point out what looks like a Sneasel to Leon, though, the trees suddenly break for just a moment, showing them a glimpse of the frozen Lake Acuity itself.

“Oh,” Juliet gasps; Leon turns to see what her eyes are affixed on.

“Wow,” he breathes, his jaw dropping a little at the sight.

The lake is incredibly still and serene, with perfectly flat, glassy ice as far as their eyes can see. The mirror-like surface appears interrupted only by a small island in the middle, with a rocky formation that juts up out of the earth rather majestically.

Then, as quickly as it had appeared, it’s gone, the opening between the trees disappearing.

“I’m hoping you both caught that glimpse of Lake Acuity, there,” the sleigh driver says, turning to glance at them both over his shoulder.

“Yes,” Juliet says breathlessly; she’s still dazzled by the idyllic splendor of the lake.

“It was absolutely gorgeous,” Leon smiles widely. “I wonder - would it be possible to go there, sometime?”

“Plenty of people head there this time of year for some ice skating - or ice fishing, depending on what you’re more into,” their chauffeur replies easily.

“Ice skating,” Juliet says immediately, before she can even realize what she’s doing.

Beside her, Leon chuckles.

“I’m pretty sure that the resort we’re going to offers skate rentals,” he says with a wink down at Juliet. “I’m sure we can fit in a trip down here sometime in the next few days, if you’re interested.”

Juliet feels her heart soar at Leon’s words, and she turns up to him, smiling from ear to ear. Before she can even say anything, though, Leon laughs.

“Well,” he says. “That smile is enough for me. Ice skating on Lake Acuity it is, then.”

“Sounds romantic,” their chauffeur grins over his shoulder once more.

“I’m sure it will be,” Juliet beams, then hides the size of her smile by taking a sip of her hot cocoa.

The rest of the sleigh ride is as picturesque as the first bit; by the time they pull into the resort area, a bit off the regular Route, Juliet’s nice and warm from her cup of cocoa, now drained, and is loathe to leave the comfort and warmth of the blankets around her.

“Here we are,” their chauffeur says, slowing the Sawsbuck. “The Acuity Villa and Resort. It’s lovely, isn’t it?”

Looking around herself, Juliet has to admit that gorgeous _is_ the right word for it. Enormous evergreen trees surround the entrance area, taller than even the sprawling five-story buildings with beautiful, gabled roofs that lie just beyond. Both the trees nearest to them and the buildings are strung up in warm Christmas lights, which begin to flicker on before their eyes. In the evening light beginning to settle across the landscape, it feels very much like a welcome crafted just for the two of them.

“It’s beautiful,” Juliet and Leon breathe together, then dissolve into laughter, nestling into one another.

“Check in is just over there,” their chauffeur says, pointing to the largest - and closest - building. “It’s been a pleasure having you both. You can leave your mugs on the floorboard once you’re out.”

Juliet and Leon dismount the sleigh, saying their farewells - then head over, hand-in-hand, to the check in.

Despite the air, which is colder here than it had been in Snowpoint, Juliet’s certain she’s in for a lovely time with her partner.

* * *

The next day, Juliet’s not so certain that will be the case.

The weather has proclaimed it to be several degrees below freezing, even without the windchill - and she’d agreed to trying to spend a day on the ski slopes, learning to whiz down the mountainside.

So far, though, all that she’s done is sit in a room with a ton of benches, trying on different sized pairs of rental ski boots. All of them have been too large, so far - though she doesn’t mind that the process is taking quite a while, because the chalet they’re in is nicely heated.

She’d positively _frozen_ on the walk over from the villa where she and Leon were staying, and she fully expects to freeze on the ski slope, too.

Still, Leon seems very excited about the entire thing, so she’s excited, too.

Or, she tells herself as another customer opens the door, letting in a blast of cold air, she’ll at least seem like she is, for her partner’s sake.

* * *

Within the half hour, they’re both standing at the top of a small hill, ski poles in hand.

“I don’t know if I’m coordinated enough to do this,” Juliet admits. Although the hill had seemed small from the base, it feels like a mountain now that she’s at the top of it, wobbling from side to side on nothing more than two slippery pieces of waxed wood.

“Me neither,” Leon admits, nearly losing his balance than catching it again. “Should we take bets on who falls first?” He asks, sending Juliet a playful smile.

“I’m not going to bet on myself!” Juliet laughs - then makes the mistake of pushing him playfully. To her horror, the movement sets the both of them in motion down the hill, and she squeals, trying her best to set her poles into the ground to stop herself.

It’s no use; even Leon can’t get his balance. He drops one of his poles, in fact, windmilling his arms in a desperate attempt to recuperate his balance.

“The instructor said to pizza if we’re going too fast!” Juliet shouts to him, remembering what their teacher had said was the single most important lesson of their hour-long private lesson. Everything had seemed so easy with a talented skiier holding her hand and making sure she got down the hill safely - so why was it suddenly so hard to point both the tips of her skis in to slow herself down?

“Pizza,” Leon calls back, picking up more speed. “Right! I’ll just -”

Juliet watches as he lifts one of his legs.

“No! That’s not pizza at all!” She tries to tell him, but as she watches him, she crosses the tips of her skis over one another, and she’s suddenly skiing sideways - then falling.

Fortunately, she really hadn’t been going very fast at all - perhaps walking speed - and there’s an easy two feet of snow on the ground to cushion her fall.

And, she realizes, there’s also Leon. He’s somehow managed to land beneath her, and he wraps his arms around her protectively as they both fall together.

The impact is hardly much more than flopping down on a couch, but Leon still checks in on her nonetheless.

“Juliet! Are you all right?” He asks, trying to shake off his remaining ski pole - and failing.

“I’m fine,” Juliet laughs, helping him slide the wrist strap over his gloves. “Are you all right?”

“Yeah,” Leon laughs, sitting up; Juliet sits up with him. “I take worse hits in most Pokemon battles. Don’t worry about me.”

“All right,” Juliet smiles. “Though…about that bet on who would fall first.”

“Yeah?” Leon asks, his golden eyes looking beautiful and brilliant in the winter light.

“You technically did,” Juliet grins.

“What? How can you prove that?” Leon asks, quirking one eyebrow at her.

“Well,” Juliet laughs, cupping his face and leaning in for a kiss. “You’re the one underneath me, so…” Before Leon can say anything else, she presses a kiss to his lips, then pulls away, smiling deviously. “What does the winner of said bet get?”

“I think they get to choose what we do next instead of skiing,” Leon laughs, and Juliet can’t help but laugh, too.

“That sounds all right by me.”


	3. Chapter 3

It takes a while for the two lovers to figure out how to extract themselves from one another - they’d each had the bindings release from one of their skis, though the other had stubbornly stayed attached to their feet during the fall - and even longer for them to figure out how to stand up and get the ski off. Eventually, their instructor - about to take another couple up for a private lesson - had happened across them, helping them out.

So it was that both Leon and Juliet trudged back down the hillside, carrying their ski equipment back to the rental shop. By the time that they make it back in, Juliet’s more than warm - she’s downright hot in her coat. The winter air felt like a relief rather than a punishment, for a change.

“Can we exchange all of this for a sled?” Juliet asks the lady at the front desk, sweltering and wishing she could take off her coat inside the heated chalet.

“You’ve paid for much more than just a sled is worth,” the rental person protests. “I could refund you, if you’d like.”

“Or,” Juliet suggests, “could you apply the balance forward to two pairs of ice skates for another day?”

“We could do that.”

So it is that she and Leon change back into their regular boots, then leave the shop with a sizable blue toboggan in tow.

“All right, bet-winner,” Leon teases her. “Are you gonna be sitting in the front or the back of this thing?”

“Hmm,” Juliet hums. “Front might be nice.”

“Front it is then,” Leon smiles.

By the time they’ve made it all the way up the hill a second time, Juliet is so warm, she’s actually looking forward to feeling the cool wind on her face as they ride down the hill.

Juliet and Leon adjust the toboggan together, pointing it directly down the hill.

“Ladies first,” Leon says, holding the sled steady while Juliet gets settled in front. Then, she feels him clamber in behind her, his body heat radiating into her at such close proximity. “Ready?” He asks, his voice low in her ear.

“Ready,” Juliet grins. She has a hard time remembering the last time she’d gone sledding; it certainly wasn’t the sort of thing she had much opportunity to try, growing up in Hoenn.

Before she can place the time, though, Leon pushes them forward, and the toboggan tips down the hill, gaining speed rapidly. Juliet squeals in delight as the sled rushes forward, responding to the way she pulls at the ropes, adjusting course just a little bit here and there.

Behind her, Leon whoops in delight, and Juliet can’t help but join him, cheering in joy. 

The wind rushing on her face - the world blurring by - there’s such a pure, almost childish, fun to it all. 

The toboggan gains still more speed as the bottom part of the hill comes into view. Finally, it begins to slow as the land levels out, and it turns slightly at the end, tipping over and letting Juliet and Leon topple out.

“That was _amazing_ ,” Juliet laughs as she lays in the snow.

“Absolutely,” Leon laughs. “That’s better than any sledding hill we ever had back home in Postwick!”

Juliet sits up, shaking snow out of her hair. As warm as she is, she’s already beginning to feel chilly from the wind, and the last thing she wants is the snow melting on her face or neck and making her freeze even faster.

“You wanna do it again?” Juliet asks. Leon sits up, too, cleaning himself off a little as well.

“I was hoping you’d ask that,” he admits.

* * *

The pair go up and down the sledding hill several more times, and somehow, the sheer delight of racing down a long stretch of land never seems to wear off. Eventually, though, Juliet’s surprised to find her thighs positively burning; working uphill in the snow is a tiring affair, even if Leon’s been toting the sled along most of the time.

“Whew,” Leon laughs, laying in the snow on his back at the end of their most recent run. “I’m officially exhausted.”

“Me, too,” Juliet agrees, flopping on her back as well. She watches her breath rise into the air, solidifying as steam, for a long moment.

Then, inspiration hits her.

Juliet begins to move her arms and legs back and forth, making a snow angel. Leon catches sight of what she’s doing, and laughs, beginning to do the same.

“How am I supposed to get up without ruining this now?” Juliet asks, taking a look at the snowy creation around her.

“It’s a delicate technique,” Leon laughs. “Hang on - I’ll get up first, and then I’ll help you up.”

Juliet watches as he extracts himself from his snow angel, leaving behind a large silhouette. Then, he leans over her, offering her his hand. Juliet takes it, and he pulls her up effortlessly, hoisting her into his arms.

“There,” he proclaims, gesturing to the two snow angels, side by side, one smaller, one larger. “Not bad for a Hoenn girl.”

“Wait,” Juliet smiles, taking one of her mittens off. “It’s not done yet.”

“No?” Leon asks.

“No,” Juliet answers, then writes Leon’s name, then hers, in the snow, drawing a big heart around them both. “There,” she says, stepping back and putting her mitten on once again. “Now it’s officially finished.”

“Perfect,” Leon says, satisfaction evident in his voice. “You know, between you and me…I think _you’re_ my real snow angel - not that mark on the ground.”

Juliet barely has a chance to respond before he’s turning her around gently, then planting a kiss on her lips. He’s searingly warm, despite the cold, and Juliet leans into him, eager for more of him.

As she does, she feels heat blossom within her chest. She may be chilly on the outside, but being with Leon can keep her warm no matter what the weather.

* * *

The next couple days go by in a blur of winter wonderland delight.

Juliet and Leon go for a couple walks around the resort on some of their woodlands trails. They have an impromptu snowball fight in a clearing they discover, and end up racing each other back into the woods, where they bump into their skiing instructor, who offers to take them up on the mountain for free for another hour.

They agree, and by the time _this_ session is done, Juliet finds she can actually get down the hill on her own. Leon follows close behind her, having mastered the art of pizza-stopping on his skis.

In between all the outdoor fun, Leon makes sure to fit in lots of time indoors to warm up, too. Even he’s not immune to the cold air or the wind, though Juliet is somewhat happy about this, because it makes it all the more likely for him to snuggle up to her by the fireplace of their rented villa.

Perhaps best of all, every night the entire resort lights up in Christmas lights of every color, strung across the buildings and between them, too. The trees are a thing of beauty, and Leon and Juliet get several pictures of - and with - them. Enormous fire pits are scattered throughout the resort, and Juliet finds herself enjoying sitting by the blaze with Leon, getting to chat with some of the other guests. 

Even when the temperature is frightful, she finds it absolutely wonderful to be warm, next to her partner.

But there’s one thing she still wants to do more than anything else:

Ice skate on Lake Acuity.


	4. Chapter 4

The next day, Juliet and Leon sit in their villa, watching the weather channel on TV.

“We’re expecting unseasonably cold low temperatures today, followed by an evening snowstorm,” the weatherman is saying. “We shouldn’t get more than an inch or two here, folks, but by the mountains, they might see as many as three or four inches, with another couple accumulating overnight.”

Juliet glances to Leon, who is snuggled up next to her under some blankets on the couch while they sip at their morning cups of tea. 

“Overnight snow, huh?” He says, nearly reading Juliet’s mind. “Well. If that’s the case, today might be our last good day to get out to Lake Acuity and ice skate.”

Juliet frowns, taking another sip of her tea.

“Yeah,” she agrees, feeling anxiety build in her stomach. “But…it sounds like it’s really cold out there.”

Even as she says it, she feels guilty. She’d worked hard all week to not let her difficulty tolerating the cold get in the way of any of her and Leon’s plans together - and, if she’s honest with herself, she’s glad she hasn’t complained much. The memories they’ve made together have been some of the most carefree, joyful memories of her life, and she’s sure she’ll treasure them forever.

Still, the thought of it being colder than ever outside makes her shiver. She’s been able to warm up when they’re out frolicking most of the time, but there had been a couple times where she’d caught a chill that hadn’t gone away until she took a very warm shower.

Would she be able to tolerate the cold today?

Leon apparently seems to be thinking many of the same thoughts, if the way his eyebrows furrow is any indication.

“Well,” he finally says, putting one arm around Juliet. “If you think it would be best for us to hunker down here and stay warm, I won’t object. We can always make gingerbread houses, or just cuddle by the fire…”

Leon trails off, letting his offer hang in the air. Juliet frowns, sipping at her tea, deep in thought.

If she doesn’t go out to Lake Acuity on this trip, she’ll probably wish she braved the cold for the rest of her life.

And besides - being outside with Leon has a way of warming her up from the inside out. Even if she stays physically cold while they skate, her heart being full will likely be more than worthwhile.

“I think,” Juliet finally decides. “That it’ll be all right. As long as we dress for the weather - and as long as you promise to cuddle me warm later tonight.”

“You’re sure?” Leon asks, his golden eyes full of concern - and, underneath that, a certain eagerness - as he regards her carefully.

The thought of the wind blasting across the frozen lake crosses Juliet’s mind.

But then, so, too, does the thought of Leon, hand in hand with her, as they’d walked through the woods, him stopping to kiss her nearly frozen nose.

“Yeah. I _am_ sure,” Juliet decides.

* * *

“I had a feeling you both would be back,” the sleigh driver greets them, two hot cocoas in hand.

“Lake Acuity has been calling us,” Leon smiles, holding the two pairs of ice skates the rental place had supplied them.

Juliet climbs into the sleigh first, as before, and settles beneath the blankets once more. Although she’s dressed for the weather, with warm leggings, booties with fur lining, and one of her favorite blue winter dresses, complete with jingle bells at the bottom hem and a fur-lined capelet - she still feels all the warmer when she is able to bundle up. Soon, she’s warmer still as Leon climbs into the sleigh beside her, his body heat radiating into her.

Even with her partner, the blankets, and the hot cocoa, though, Juliet soon finds herself bracing from the wind as the sleigh speeds along, back to Lake Acuity. It _is_ astoundingly chilly; her face is stinging, and she occasionally buries it in Leon’s shoulder.

All the same, though, she has to admit - she is really rather glad to get to be on the sleigh again. It’s as fun as ever, and she finds herself soon smiling into Leon’s chest as he puts an arm around her, pulling her closer still.

“If you’re chilly, I guess that’s the perfect excuse for me to get to snuggle with you,” he chuckles.

Juliet stays nestled into Leon for the remainder of the ride, even as the sleigh pulls into Lake Acuity. It looks as brilliant as ever, the vast expanse of ice stretching out nearly as far as the eye can see in all directions.

“I’m sure you’ve heard, but a mythical Pokemon is said to live here,” their sleigh driver explains as they slow to a stop. “It’s said to be responsible for bringing all knowledge into the world - and it appears to those pure of heart, blessing them with knowledge or assistance in trying times.”

“Uxie, right?” Juliet asks as she and Leon climb out of the sleigh. “I remember hearing about it, now and then, when I was a kid. Sometimes the legends of Kanto and Johto and Sinnoh made their way down to Hoenn,” she explains to Leon.

“That’s interesting,” Leon muses, once again picking up their ice skates. “Though, I’ll be honest….I think I might have had enough of Legendary Pokemon for a little while. All I want is to be with the woman I love, today.”

As he presses a light kiss to Juliet’s temple, she feels her face heating up, despite how cold it had felt just moments ago.

Their driver promises to return in about an hour and a half, and Juliet and Leon find a good spot by the lakefront to put on their ice skates. As Juliet takes off her fur-lined boots, though, the wind gusts across Lake Acuity, making her grimace and duck her head and tuck her hands into her body for a moment.

“If it’s too cold,” Leon starts, but Juliet shakes her head, summoning up all her strength to turn up to Leon and smile.

“No,” she insists. “I’ll be all right.”

Leon, however, only frowns.

“Juliet,” he says gently, one of his fingers cupping her chin. “If it’s too much for you out there, I really do understand. You’re always smiling for me and being strong, and I don’t doubt that your strength could extend to include you forcing yourself to tolerate being cold and in pain if you think it might make me happy. But, J, I’m happiest when I’m with _you_ , and when you’re happy and not suffering. Seeing you hurting - and trying to smile through it for me…I want that smile to be genuine.”

Juliet is speechless for a moment, her smile faltering. 

For Leon to know her so well and to see through her attempt to be strong for him -

“O-oh,” Leon stammers, surprise in his voice. “Please, don’t cry - I didn’t mean anything to upset you -”

“No, it’s not that. You haven’t upset me. I just,” Juliet says, wiping her tears away quickly. “I just really appreciate what you’ve said. I’ve been trying hard all week to put up with the cold - it’s not easy for me, you know?”

“I know,” Leon frowns. “Maybe this winter vacation was a bad idea; I never meant for you to suffer.”

“No - I think it’s been wonderful,” Juliet insists, hoping she can phrase what she’s feeling. “Because as hard as the weather has been to tolerate, sometimes, the time I’ve spent with you has been magical. Everything we’ve done together I’ve ended up really enjoying, and I already cherish the memories we’ve made. Being warm and comfortable isn’t everything, Leon, because I’ve learned that I can experience a different kind of warmth - an inner warmth - when I do fun things like this with you.”

Leon is silent for a long moment, and Juliet worries he’s going to insist they go home anyway when another blast of wind comes, making Juliet cower away from it again. But instead, he reaches out to her, putting his arms around her and shielding her from the harsh air.

And then, as if someone’s flipped a switch, the wind stops blowing entirely.

“Ux,” a very quiet voice calls, and Juliet and Leon both turn to the sound. There, floating before them, is a small, gray-ish Pokemon with a yellow head and closed eyes.

“Uxie,” Juliet breathes. Leon tenses around her protectively, but a feeling of understanding - of knowledge, really - comes over her. “You’ve come to us to help us.”

The Pokemon trills, cocking its head a little, though it doesn’t open its eyes.

“You’re the one that’s stopped the wind, aren’t you?” Juliet asks. Uxie performs a playful flip in midair, and Juliet can feel Leon’s arms relax around her.

“It stopped the wind?” He asks.

“Yes,” Juliet affirms. “Uxie thinks our love for each other - and for the world around us - is pure enough that it wants to help us enjoy the thing that we both want the most right now: a quiet time ice skating on Lake Acuity.” She doesn’t know how, exactly, she knows this - but she knows it as surely as she knows her name, as surely as she knows her love for Leon is strong.

“Ux,” the Pokemon agrees.

Then, as suddenly as it had come, it disappears, leaving only a shimmering of snowflakes in its wake. A light mist of snow begins to fall from the sky, but no wind blows.

In fact, Juliet feels warm in more ways than just one.

“Come on,” she says, standing and reaching out to Leon. “We’d better hurry up - our sleigh driver is going to be back soon, after all.”

“Right,” Leon agrees, and soon the two of them are wobbling, hand in hand, on their skates out to the lake.

Once they’re on the ice, Juliet takes a moment to get her skating legs. Leon is a little wobbly at first, holding onto her and nearly falling forward a couple times - but Juliet is able to help him. Soon, they’re skating hand in hand across the incredibly smooth, glossy ice, now and then sticking their tongues out to catch snowflakes.

As they skate more, both Juliet and Leon gain confidence. Juliet skates backwards for a time, holding onto Leon’s hands; then, he switches positions, so that he’s the one skating backwards, pulling her along. They turn about, holding onto one another on the ice, tracing lazy circles across the surface while savoring being in one another’s arms.

Juliet’s not sure if she’s ever been quite this elegant on the ice - not does she know if she’ll ever be this talented again. A small part of her says that perhaps it’s Uxie’s knowledge, imparted to her, that is allowing her to glide along and spin about with Leon, tracing figure eights and cutting large circles as they hold onto one another, hand in hand and arms straight.

Whatever it is, it’s truly magical.

Perhaps most incredibly of all, though, the wind never blows once and the air feels completely tolerable. Soon, Juliet finds herself warm both on the outside and the inside, filled with adoration for the man she’s with.

* * *

It’s not until much later that night, when she and Leon are walking home from dinner at one of the restaurant resorts, that they mention what’s happened. Juliet says something first, overcome with emotion for the man by her side. He looks so gorgeous in a white shirt and black tie, with a red suit with white fur accents on. His outfit matches the red capelet with white trim that she’s donned over her earlier ice skating attire, and she can’t help but feel a surge of adoration for him.

“So,” she says. “I hear from a very reliable, Legendary source that I have the most pure-hearted man in all of Galar. And Sinnoh, apparently.”

Leon chuckles at this, ducking his head slightly. Then, he sweeps her up in his arms, pulling her close.

“Well,” he laughs, grazing his nose against hers. “If I’m not incorrect, Uxie chose to speak to _you_ , not me. So I’m pretty sure that makes you a little more pure hearted than me.”

“I don’t know about that,” Juliet laughs, looping her arms around his neck.

“I do. Believe me, J,” Leon smiles, looking deeply into her eyes. “I have the pleasure of loving you, and I can assure you, you’re one of the most extraordinary, exceptionally kind, good-hearted people I’ve ever met. Being with you is an honor, and has made this trip - and this holiday - more special than I could ever imagine.”

Juliet sucks in a breath, shocked by his words. He really thought all that about _her_?

How could she possibly be so lucky?

Before she can reply, though, Leon continues.

“Juliet, I love you so much.”

And then he leans down, kissing her under the Christmas lights. Juliet melts against his lips, a smile on her face.

She could get used to this - and, truthfully, she already feels herself hoping they’ll come back here next Christmas. As chilly as it is, her heart is warm and full, and she wants to experience this magic again and again.


End file.
